Written Answers Monday 25 February 2008

Scottish Executive

Ambulance Service

Patricia Ferguson (Glasgow Maryhill) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to increase the mileage rate paid to volunteer drivers working with the Scottish Ambulance Service in 2008-09.

Nicola Sturgeon: The Scottish Government has allocated £183.4 million to the Scottish Ambulance Service for 2008-09 and it is for it to decide how best this money should be used to obtain the maximum benefits for patients all over Scotland, as well as ensuring value for money.

Concessionary Travel

Jeremy Purvis (Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what estimate can be made of the overall cost of making Scottish and English national pensioners’ bus passes interchangeable and what proportion of this cost could be expected to arise from the use of (a) Scottish bus passes in England and (b) English bus passes in Scotland.

Stewart Stevenson: No such research has been undertaken to date.

Energy Efficiency

Sarah Boyack (Edinburgh Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth will make a statement about progress with regard to the effectiveness of the Central Energy Efficiency Fund, in particular its extension to the further and higher education sector, as referred to in paragraph 7.7 of Energy Efficiency and Microgeneration: Achieving a Low Carbon Future: A Strategy for Scotland - draft for consultation, March 2007 .

John Swinney: The Central Energy Efficiency Fund continues to be an effective way of delivering financial savings and carbon emission reductions across the public sector. Over 900 discrete projects have been implemented to date by Scottish local authorities, the NHS and Scottish Water, a 50% increase in the last 18 months.

  Officials are currently finalising arrangements with stakeholders to set up the £4 million energy efficiency fund for Scotland’s universities and colleges which will be operational before the end of the current financial year.

Energy Efficiency

Sarah Boyack (Edinburgh Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made on the commitment to invest in microgeneration and investigate which of the buildings on its own estate are most suitable, as referred to in paragraph 7.9 of Energy Efficiency and Microgeneration: Achieving a Low Carbon Future: A Strategy for Scotland - draft for consultation, March 2007 .

Jim Mather: During 2007, the Scottish Government carried out work, in partnership with the Carbon Trust, to establish the feasibility of installing microgeneration at selected buildings on the core estate. Initial surveys have been completed for Saughton House in Edinburgh, Cameron House in Oban and Strathearn House in Perth which have highlighted a number of opportunities to be investigated further. Further surveys were also undertaken at Victoria Quay in Edinburgh, Longman House in Inverness and Meridian Court in Glasgow to explore opportunities for incorporating microgeneration as part of ongoing maintenance projects.

  In 2008 the Scottish Government will participate in the Carbon Management Programme through which the Carbon Trust provides technical and management support and guidance to formalise an action plan aimed at delivering carbon emission reductions. The plan will focus on the built environment including where microgeneration can be introduced to reduce the carbon emissions relative to our building operations.

Energy Efficiency

Sarah Boyack (Edinburgh Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made in developing a renewable heat strategy, as referred to in paragraph 1.31 of Energy Efficiency and Microgeneration: Achieving a Low Carbon Future: A Strategy for Scotland - draft for consultation, March 2007.

Jim Mather: The Scottish Government welcomed a report, published on 5 February, from the Renewable Heat Group of the Forum for Renewable Energy Development in Scotland. Ministers will consider its recommendations carefully in developing an action plan for renewable heat, which we expect to issue later this year.

Energy Efficiency

Sarah Boyack (Edinburgh Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made on the review of energy efficiency and microgeneration support, as referred to in paragraph 3.18 of Energy Efficiency and Microgeneration: Achieving a Low Carbon Future: A Strategy for Scotland - draft for consultation, March 2007 .

Jim Mather: The independent Review of Energy Efficiency and Microgeneration Support was commissioned in April 2007 and completed in December. We are aiming to publish the report before the end of March 2008.

  We are already considering the results and recommendations of the review and these have helped and are helping to inform action for improving, simplifying and streamlining delivery whilst ensuring that support is effectively targeted.

Fatal Accident Inquiries

Margaret Smith (Edinburgh West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many fatal accident inquiries have taken place in each year since 1999.

Kenny MacAskill: The number of fatal accident inquiries (FAIs) recorded as completed in the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service’s case management database in each sheriffdom for each of the last five financial years is shown in the following table.

  Fatal Accident Inquiries Completed: 2002-07

  

Sheriffdom
2002-03
2003-04
2004-05
2005-06
2006-07


Glasgow and Strathkelvin
16
11
7
8
5


Grampian Highland and Islands
12
12
17
22
12


Lothian and Borders
3
7
12
7
2


North Strathclyde 
6
3
11
3
1


South Strathclyde, Dumfries and Galloway
10
9
11
15
6


Tayside, Central and Fife
11
13
15
16
9



  Note: The Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service completed an upgrade of its electronic case management system in April 2002. Only case records created after that date contain complete data which is capable of electronic analysis.

Fatal Accident Inquiries

Margaret Smith (Edinburgh West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what the average cost is of fatal accident inquiries.

Kenny MacAskill: Average costs for fatal accident inquiries are not kept. The average cost per sitting day for civil business in the sheriff courts is £2,048.

Fatal Accident Inquiries

Margaret Smith (Edinburgh West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what the minimum length of a fatal accident inquiry has been since 1999.

Margaret Smith (Edinburgh West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what the maximum length of a fatal accident inquiry has been since 1999.

Kenny MacAskill: Statistics are not collected on the length of time of fatal accident inquiries.

Fisheries

Trish Godman (West Renfrewshire) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans there are anent the system of financial penalties imposed on the skippers and owners of fishing vessels for illegal fishing practices.

Richard Lochhead: Under the current system financial penalties are imposed on the skipper and/or owners of a fishing vessel for illegal fishing practices through the criminal system with sheriffs operating under maximum penalty guidelines. The Scottish Government has no direct influence on the level of penalty imposed. In seeking to improve on this single tiered system the Scottish Government recently held a consultation exercise on "A System of Administrative Penalties for Fisheries Offences in Scotland". Following this exercise the Scottish Government are now finalising an SI to put before the Scottish Parliament in March which will bring into force a system of fixed financial penalties for minor fisheries offences by the end of April 2008.

Health

Karen Gillon (Clydesdale) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it supports a shift in the balance of care from the acute to the primary care sector in the NHS.

Nicola Sturgeon: The Scottish Government is committed to shifting the balance care towards the primary and community care sectors through the delivery of agreed pathways of care that will improve outcomes for patients and local communities. This is reinforced in the Better Health, Better Care Action Plan published last December, which places Community Health Partnerships at centre of this agenda of service change and improvement.

Health

Karen Gillon (Clydesdale) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that cottage hospitals play a valuable role in the delivery of health services and, if so, how it will support the further development of such hospitals.

Nicola Sturgeon: Scotland’s health care challenges require us to continue to shift the balance of care towards community based services. The Scottish Government is committed to the development of effective community hospitals which will have an important part to play in achieving this aim.

Homelessness

Keith Brown (Ochil) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is satisfied that temporary bed and breakfast accommodation in the event of homelessness is a sufficiently safe option for those who have previously worked with convicted criminals in a professional context and would have significant concerns about their own personal safety in such circumstances.

Stewart Maxwell: The Homeless Persons (Unsuitable Accommodation) (Scotland) Order (2004) prohibits the routine use of "unsuitable" temporary accommodation for homeless households with children or pregnant women. The Order does not explicitly prevent the use of bed and breakfast accommodation, rather it requires that such accommodation meet the standards set out in the Order.

  More generally with regard to all homeless households, the policy is that the use of bed and breakfast accommodation should be minimised. The Code of Guidance on homelessness states that local authorities should only use bed and breakfast to provide temporary accommodation as a last resort.

  It is for local authorities to decide how to discharge their duty to provide temporary accommodation for homeless households, subject to the requirements in the legislation and the fact that local authorities must have regard to the Code of Guidance. If a household is not content with the accommodation provided then they have the right to appeal to the local authority.

  The government is not aware of any such circumstances as set out in this question.

Homelessness

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what it is doing to ensure that charities that help homeless people in Aberdeen and Grampian are adequately funded.

Stewart Maxwell: The Scottish Government recognises the important role charities play in Aberdeen and Grampian and across Scotland as local partners in assisting local authorities in implementing strategies to tackle and prevent homelessness.

  Funding for tackling and preventing homelessness in Aberdeen and Grampian has been absorbed into the funding settlement for local authorities. The settlement gives local authorities incentives to achieve better value for money and the freedom to spend their resources as they decide to meet local needs and circumstances.

  I expect that to result in better targeted and better quality local services allowing tailored and innovative approaches from a wide range of local partners including charities working in partnership to address homelessness.

Hospital-Acquired Infection

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many cases of MRSA were recorded in NHS Grampian hospitals in (a) 2002, (b) 2003, (c) 2004, (d) 2005, (e) 2006 and (f) 2007.

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many cases of MRSA were recorded in NHS Grampian in (a) 2002, (b) 2003, (c) 2004, (d) 2005, (e) 2006 and (f) 2007.

Nicola Sturgeon: Health Protection Scotland (HPS) produces quarterly reports of bacteraemia (blood infection) data for MRSA and Meticillin Sensitive Staph aureus (MSSA) by clinical specialty and by size of hospital. HPS published the latest quarterly MRSA/MSSA monitoring figures for the period July to September 2007 on Tuesday, 15 January 2008. The report can be found at:

  http://www.documents.hps.scot.nhs.uk/hai/sshaip/publications/mrsa-quarterly-reports/jan-2003-to-sept-2007.pdf.

  The following table shows the total annual number of MRSA bacteraemias reported from NHS Grampian from 2002 to 2007:

  

Year
Number of MRSA Bacteraemias Reported to HPS


2002
56


2003
46


2004
62


2005
64


2006
81


2007 (for the period 1 January 2007 to 30 September 2007)
55



  The data should be treated with some caution as it is possible for one patient to have more than one episode of MRSA bacteraemia within one admission. The above table records these as separate episodes. Although the number of MRSA bacteraemias reported to HPS have been reported from hospital laboratories the figures in the table will include infections which may have been contracted in the community or in other institutions.

Housing

Jamie Hepburn (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what average (a) annual earnings and (b) house prices have been in each year since 1979.

Stewart Maxwell: Table 1 provides median annual earnings and average house price from 1979-2006 which is the most recent whole year that data is available for. 2007 data is due to be available in April.

  The preferred source for earnings estimates is the Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE), which is carried out by the Office for National Statistics. ASHE was developed to replace the New Earnings Survey (NES) from 2004, which included improvements to the coverage of employees. NES data for 2003 back to 1998 has been reworked using the ASHE methodology in order to provide a consistent time series from 1998 onwards. However, the data does not take account of the improved coverage. Data prior to 1998 is from NES and is not directly comparable with ASHE data. Data relates to full-time employees only.

  Average dwelling price has been drawn from the Regulated Mortgage Survey. Data up to and including 1992 was based on returns from building societies only. Data from 1993 onwards are based on returns from all mortgage lenders. From September 2005, data are collected via the Regulated Mortgage Survey (RMS) of the Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML)/BankSearch.

  Table 1

  

Year
Median Annual Earnings
Average House Price


1979
£4,550 
£19,371 


1980
£5,585 
£21,754 


1981
£6,344 
£23,014 


1982
£6,942 
£22,522 


1983
£7,504 
£23,818 


1984
£8,096 
£25,865 


1985
£8,622 
£26,941 


1986
£9,183 
£28,242 


1987
£9,771 
£29,591 


1988
£10,634 
£31,479 


1989
£11,513 
£35,394 


1990
£12,688 
£41,744 


1991
£13,796 
£48,772 


1992
£14,908 
£50,010 


1993
£15,434 
£49,568 


1994
£15,642 
£50,651 


1995
£16,297 
£53,143 


1996
£16,895 
£56,674 


1997
£17,514 
£57,883 


1998
£16,318 
£63,585 


1999
£17,108 
£69,312 


2000
£17,597 
£69,961 


2001
£18,465 
£73,570 


2002
£19,328 
£77,655 


2003
£19,828 
£103,641 


2004
£20,301 
£118,932 


2005
£21,247 
£129,631 


2006
£22,261 
£137,192

Housing

Johann Lamont (Glasgow Pollok) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what measures are being taken to publicise and increase the scale of the Mortgage to Rent scheme.

Stewart Maxwell: I have asked James Hynd, Acting Chief Executive of Communities Scotland to respond. His response is as follows:

  The Mortgage to Rent scheme has a dedicated webpage for those wishing to find out about the scheme. The following link contains details about the scheme, including the valuation eligibility tool, application form and information leaflet:

  http://www.communitiesscotland.gov.uk/stellent/groups/public/documents/webpages/cs_006676.hcsp.

  There is also a telephone helpline 0845 279 9999.

  Information about the Mortgage to Rent scheme is distributed to a range of organisations including Citizens Advice Bureaux, local authority money advice centres, social landlords and solicitors acting for lenders.

  Members of the Mortgage to Rent team regularly carry out presentations for a variety of interested organisations to provide advice and encourage participation. Also, dedicated stands are staffed at national events hosted by organisations such as Citizens Advice Scotland and Money Advice Scotland.

  Decisions on the future scale of the scheme will be made annually as part of the approval of the Affordable Housing Investment Programme.

Justice

Bill Aitken (Glasgow) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many of the 774 persons on supervised bail during 2005-06 breached their conditions.

Kenny MacAskill: The information requested is not held centrally. The most recent statistics that relate to supervised bail cases are presented in the Statistical Bulletin Criminal Justice Social Work Statistics, 2006-07 . This bulletin includes information on the number of supervised bail cases (table 12.1) but does not hold information on breaches of bail cases. The bulletin can be accessed from the Scottish Government website via the link:

  http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Resource/Doc/209079/0055387.pdf.

Justice

Bill Aitken (Glasgow) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many of the 774 persons on supervised bail during 2005-06 who breached their conditions did so as a result of behaviour that led to criminal convictions.

Kenny MacAskill: The information requested is not held centrally. The most recent statistics that relate to supervised bail cases are presented in the Statistical Bulletin Criminal Justice Social Work Statistics, 2006-07 . This bulletin includes information on the number of supervised bail cases (table 12.1) but does not hold information on breaches of bail cases or reasons for breaches of bail cases. The bulletin can be accessed from the Scottish Government website via the link:

  http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Resource/Doc/209079/0055387.pdf.

Justice

Margaret Smith (Edinburgh West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what the average reoffending rate of women is two years after they completed custodial sentences.

Kenny MacAskill: The two year reconviction rate of women released from a custodial sentence in 2003-04 was 65%.

Justice

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many requests for warrants authorising interception of communications were refused by ministers from 3 May to 31 December 2007.

Kenny MacAskill: The Scottish Government does not collect the figures requested.

Local Government Finance

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what the anticipated increase or decrease is in local authority debt over the next financial year, broken down by authority.

John Swinney: I refer the member to answer to questions S3W-5272 and S3W-5343 on 26 October 2007, the most meaningful information on local authority debt relates to the level of outstanding loans fund debt for each local authority as this debt must, in accordance with legislation, be charged to services over a number of years. All monies borrowed by the local authority are paid into the loans fund which then makes advances to service accounts to fund capital expenditure. The Scottish Government does not collect forecasts of this debt, only outturn information at the end of each financial year.

  However, local authorities are also under a statutory duty to keep under review the maximum amount which they can afford to allocate to capital expenditure. In doing so, they must have regard to the CIPFA Prudential Code for Capital Finance in Local Authorities. Under this code, authorities must forecast their capital finance requirements and gross external borrowing over a three year rolling period and keep these within set operational and authorised limits. Therefore, for monitoring purposes, we do collect forecasts of gross external borrowing. External borrowing includes temporary short-term borrowing and any borrowing undertaken on behalf of other authorities such as police and fire boards. This is permitted by Schedule 3 of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1975.

  The table overleaf shows the levels of forecast gross outstanding external borrowing by local authorities as provided in their latest quarterly capital returns to the Scottish Government.

  Gross External Borrowing by Local Authority (£000)

  

Local Authority
Forecast Gross External Borrowing at 31 March 2007
Forecast Change in External Borrowing in 2008-09*
Forecast Gross External Borrowing at 31 March 2008


Aberdeen City
472,598
55,529
528,127


Aberdeenshire
397,952
2,099
400,051


Angus
155,369
0
155,369


Argyll and Bute
209,066
-70
208,996


Clackmannanshire
104,204
10,000
114,204


Dumfries and Galloway
175,194
11,509
186,703


Dundee City
322,812
7,274
330,086


East Ayrshire
223,613
9,350
232,963


East Dunbartonshire
114,685
-458
114,227


East Lothian
236,000
0
236,000


East Renfrewshire
90,604
2,819
93,423


Edinburgh, City of
943,698
-38,803
904,895


Eilean Siar
157,129
887
158,016


Falkirk
220,515
4,969
225,484


Fife
590,088
9,294
599,382


Glasgow City
1,193,931
37,704
1,231,635


Highland
603,663
17,459
621,122


Inverclyde
182,369
9,929
192,298


Midlothian
125,683
50,648
176,331


Moray
155,414
34,705
190,119


North Ayrshire
225,652
0
225,652


North Lanarkshire
447,327
23,137
470,464


Orkney Islands
0
0
0


Perth and Kinross
177,433
24,499
201,932


Renfrewshire
302,560
0
302,560


Scottish Borders
184,664
9,362
194,026


Shetland Islands
0
0
0


South Ayrshire
190,907
8,650
199,557


South Lanarkshire
550,595
37,802
588,397


Stirling
146,496
-275
146,221


West Dunbartonshire
209,879
2,291
212,170


West Lothian
298,733
13,425
312,158


Total
9,408,833
343,735
9,752,568



  Note: *The change in borrowing incorporates new loans taken less any redemptions of debt.

  All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

Ministerial Costs

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what overnight stays in hotels have been charged for by ministers since May 2007 and at what total cost.

John Swinney: There have been 211 overnight stays in hotels charged for by ministers since May 2007 at a total cost of £23,940.11.

Ministerial Groups

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what consultative committees, groups, councils and other bodies have been set up by ministers since October 2007 and what the estimated cost is of running them.

John Swinney: The Scottish Government published a baseline list of 199 formally constituted national public organisations which they are committed to reduce to at least 121 by 2011. No further national public bodies have been set up by ministers since October 2007. The following consultative groups have been set by the Scottish Government since October. These groups are not formally constituted public bodies and do not command any separate legal or administrative identity in their own right. There are no formal budget lines associated with these groups and in most cases costs are limited to incidental travel and subsistence expenses.

  

Name
Estimated Cost


Business Experts & Law Forum
£1,600 (note1)


Housing Advice for Prisoners Working Group
None (note 2)


Towards a Mentally Flourishing Scotland – National Reference Group
None (note 2,3)


Flooding Bill Advisory Groups
None (note 2)


Speciality Training Programme Board
None (note 2)


Serious Organised Crime Task Force
None (note 2)


NHS 60th Anniversary Steering Group
None (note 2)


Network 100 – Advisory Group on Children’s Hearing Systems Reforms
 


Working Group to Review Identification of those Eligible for Free School Meals, and School Clothing Grant Provision Across Scotland
None (note 2)


Substance Misuse Education Steering Group
None (note 2)


Steering Group to Support the Development of Building the Curriculum Guidance on Vocational Learning
None (note 2)


Mental Health Act Review Group
£5,000 (note 1)


EU Agricultural Appeals Review Panel
£8,000 (note 1)


Joint Future Thinking Task Force on Universities
None (note 2)


Sustainable Seas Task Force
£10,800 (note 1)



  Notes:

  1. Funded from within existing resources.

  2. No formal budget – expenditure limited to modest incidental expenses.

  3. Group to be disbanded following meetings in March and April.

  No comparative data was published by the previous administration on the number of tasks forces/advisory groups established between 1999 and May 2007. They are part of the internal workings of government, many of which are short life working groups drawing in external expertise to inform the development of policy and support the government in delivering its commitments.

NHS Funding

Karen Gillon (Clydesdale) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what additional resources it will make available to NHS Lanarkshire following the NHSScotland Resource Allocation Committee’s recommendations and when such resources will be available.

Nicola Sturgeon: I announced on 22 February 2008 that I have accepted NHSScotland Resource Allocation Committee (NRAC)’s recommendations in relation to changes to the Arbuthnott Formula. This does not affect the 2008-09 allocation of funds which was announced on 8 February 2008. The first year that the NRAC formula will be implemented is 2009-10.

  I have previously stressed the need to avoid turbulence in NHS board funding and indicated that, under the NRAC proposals, no board will receive less funding than it does at present and any changes in funding will be phased in over a number of years as has been the practice under both the previous SHARE and Arbuthnott formulae. This means that each health board will receive a standard uplift each year to meet inflationary pressures whilst those boards whose actual funding remains below their target level, as indicated by the NRAC formula, would receive an additional parity uplift within the remaining resources available.

  Uplift levels, including parity uplifts, will be considered and announced each financial year in line with the Parliamentary process and taking into account the funding earmarked for Scottish health priorities within the overall Scottish Government financial settlement.

NHS Waiting Times

Ross Finnie (West of Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many patients on waiting lists are unavailable for treatment and therefore have had their waiting time clocks stopped.

Ross Finnie (West of Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many patients have been informed that their waiting time clocks have been stopped since September 2007, also broken down by NHS board.

Nicola Sturgeon: New ways of defining and measuring waiting times came into effect for patients on or added to waiting lists from 1 January 2008. Patients will have their waiting time clock stopped when they are unavailable for social or medical reasons. Such cases will be reviewed regularly by hospitals. It is intended that information on the number of patients with periods of unavailability will be published by ISD Scotland. Information for the first three months of 2008 will be available publicly at the end of May 2008. Information about periods of unavailability has not been published before.

NHS Waiting Times

Ross Finnie (West of Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many patients have been removed from waiting lists with one NHS board and referred to a new NHS board since September 2007.

Nicola Sturgeon: Under the system of reporting of waiting times up to 31 December 2007, information on the transfer of patients from a waiting list in one NHS board to another board’s list was not collected centrally. However, under the new system of defining and measuring waiting times which came into effect for patients on or added to waiting lists on 1 January 2008, information will be available on the number of patients transferred between waiting lists in different board areas.

  We expect NHS boards to ensure that all patients are seen and treated within current waiting time standards. If boards encounter temporary difficulties in doing so, they may arrange treatment in another board area to ensure patients continue to receive swift access to care. We would expect patients to participate in any decision to arrange treatment in another board area.

NHS Waiting Times

Ross Finnie (West of Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether patients who are unavailable for treatment remain on hospital waiting lists.

Nicola Sturgeon: Yes, subject to published guidance on management of waiting lists. This can be viewed at http://www.isdscotland.org/isd/files/New-Ways-Applying-Guidance-V3.pdf .

  The new approach to managing waiting lists provides that patients who are not available for either medical or social reasons for treatment, at the point when need for treatment is agreed should not be added to the waiting list until their period of unavailability ends. However, it is open to clinical staff nevertheless to add such patients to the list – for example, if the period of unavailability is clearly temporary. Their records will by flagged as unavailable.

  Where a patient is added to the list and subsequently becomes unavailable for any reason the patient will be retained on the waiting list with their record noted as unavailable. These patients will be kept under review at least every 13 weeks. Alternatively, if clinically appropriate, patients who become unavailable after they have been added to the waiting list may be returned to the care of their GP. The guidance makes clear that a patient who is unavailable should be kept on the waiting list where, for example, the period of unavailability is of known duration.

NHS Waiting Times

Ross Finnie (West of Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how it defines "regular reviews" for patients who have had their waiting time clocks stopped.

Nicola Sturgeon: The guidance issued to NHSScotland on new ways of defining and measuring waiting times states that for those patients who experience a period of unavailability for social or medical reasons and no end date has been indicated, their case should be reviewed at least every 13 weeks. The waiting time clock is stopped during periods of unavailability.

NHS Waiting Times

Ross Finnie (West of Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance it has provided to hospitals and GPs on how to review the position of patients who have had their waiting time clocks stopped.

Nicola Sturgeon: The latest available guidance on new ways of defining and measuring waiting was issued to NHSScotland in December 2007. This can be accessed at:

  http://www.isdscotland.org/isd/files/New-Ways-Applying-Guidance-V3.pdf.

NHS Waiting Times

Ross Finnie (West of Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many patients have been removed from hospital waiting lists and referred back to the care of their GPs since September 2007.

Nicola Sturgeon: Information is not available centrally.

  New ways of defining and measuring waiting times came into effect on 1 January 2008. I have made clear that this system will be open and transparent and much more information will be published. It is planned to publish the number of patients referred back to the care of their GP, along with other information not previously available. Information under New Ways will be published for the first time at the end of May 2008 covering the three months to 31 March 2008.

NHS Waiting Times

Ross Finnie (West of Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how long on average patients removed from hospital waiting lists and referred back to the care of their GPs have to wait before receiving treatment.

Ross Finnie (West of Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what the median time spent waiting to receive treatment is for patients removed from hospital waiting lists and referred back to the care of their GPs.

Nicola Sturgeon: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-9323 on 25 February 2008. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search .

  Where a patient from a hospital waiting list is returned to the care of the GP, published guidance must be followed. If a patient is returned to their GP’s care, it is a matter for the GP and the patient to decide whether a re-referral is necessary and appropriate, and if so when it should be made. If a GP decides to re-refer, the patient would be seen and if necessary treated within national maximum waiting times targets, subject to any periods of unavailability.

NHS Waiting Times

Ross Finnie (West of Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many patients have been removed from waiting lists and denied treatment in order not to jeopardise the 18-week target for treatment since its introduction, broken down by NHS board.

Nicola Sturgeon: As the member knows, a situation was recently brought to my attention in NHS Tayside where a small number of patients had been removed from a hospital waiting list for reasons not provided for in the published guidance. However, this was not related to the 18-week target. I took action at once to ensure that the patients in question were reinstated on the waiting list and the patients were informed. All NHS boards have provided assurances that any removal of patients from the waiting list is being carried out in line with published guidance. I have re-emphasised the importance of boards adhering to the guidance at all times.

NHS Waiting Times

Ross Finnie (West of Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many patients have waited longer than 18 weeks for a first out-patient consultation after a referral since September 2007, also broken down by NHS board area.

Nicola Sturgeon: Waiting list information prior to 1 January 2008 was collected by a census undertaken on the last day of each month and published quarterly. The information requested is provided in the following table.

  Unlike the previous system where patients who had an availability status code applied could have exceedingly long waits - in some cases of over 12 months - all patients will be covered by the maximum waiting time standard under the new ways of defining and measuring waiting times which came into effect on 1 January 2008. Patients who held an availability status code on 31 December 2007 will receive their first out-patient consultation within 18 weeks, from 1 January 2008, provided they are available. If they are unavailable their case will be reviewed regularly until they can be seen or until a decision is made to return them to the care of their GP.

  NHSScotland: Out-Patient Waiting Lists By Board of Treatment: Number of Patients* Waiting Over 18 Weeks

  

Board of Treatment
31 October 2007
30 November 2007
31 December 2007


Ayrshire and Arran
84
18
0


Borders
0
0
0


Dumfries and Galloway
4
8
0


Fife
255
165
0


Forth Valley
389
224
0


Grampian
2,419
1,472
0


Greater Glasgow and Clyde
781
392
0


Highland
693
237
0


Lanarkshire
981
526
0


Lothian
1,680
468
0


Orkney
31
7
0


Shetland
38
13
0


Tayside
625
344
0


Western Isles
16
4
0


NHSScotland
7,996
3,878
0



  Source: Outpatient Waiting List Census, ISD Scotland.

  Note: *Excludes patients with an availability status code.

NHS Waiting Times

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how much the IT system to implement the New Ways waiting times system will cost.

Nicola Sturgeon: Following the decision in 2005 to develop a "data warehouse" to help support New Ways, the development cost to Information Services Division (ISD) within NHS National Services Scotland was just over £440,000. The majority of these costs were incurred in 2005-06 and 2006-07.

  This new IT system is able to handle information relating to new ways of defining and measuring waiting times. In addition, the new system offers other advantages over previous systems including consistent validation processes for all data, and enabling NHS boards to carry our timely local analyses of consolidated data for all relevant sites at any time.

  Costs to NHS boards of amending their hospital patient administration systems to store, process and report new ways data are not recorded centrally. Boards worked together with ISD to prepare a single change specification and system changes were commissioned jointly to minimise costs.

NHS Waiting Times

Ross Finnie (West of Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what the average waiting time has been for accessing speech and language therapy in each of the last five years, broken down by NHS board.

Nicola Sturgeon: This information is not held centrally. The planning and provision of NHS Speech and Language therapy services is for NHS boards to determine based on local priorities.

Non-Domestic Rates

Dave Thompson (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many businesses in the Argyll and Bute parliamentary constituency will benefit from the recently announced reduction in business rates.

John Swinney: Information on small businesses in the format requested is not held centrally. However, information on the number and rateable value of non-domestic properties which may be eligible for relief under the Small Business Bonus scheme is available on the Scottish Assessors Portal ( www.saa.gov.uk ) for the local authority area in which the parliamentary constituency is situated. This information is shown as follows:

  Number of Properties by Local Authority Area

  

 
Rateable Value of Property


Up to £8,000
£8,001-£10,000
£10,001-£15,000
Total up to £15,000


Argyll and Bute
5,858
236
338
6,432



  Notes:

  (i) The rateable value ranges shown in the table correspond to those on page 12 of the Scottish Budget: Spending Review 2007.

  (ii) The table shows the number of non-domestic properties, except zero-rated properties, with rateable values of up to £15,000 in the Argyll and Bute Parliamentary Constituency, which is coterminous with the Argyll and Bute local authority area.

  (iii) The number of eligible businesses will be lower than the number of non-domestic properties in each area, because some businesses have more than one property. This may affect eligibility for relief under the Small Business Bonus Scheme, which will depend on:

  - the combined rateable value of all properties in Scotland of which the business is in rateable occupation or (if vacant) which the business is entitled to occupy;

  - whether or not each property is eligible for one of the existing rates relief schemes, and

  - the level of other public sector assistance received by the business.

Non-Domestic Rates

Dave Thompson (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many businesses in the Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber parliamentary constituency will benefit from the recently announced reduction in business rates.

Dave Thompson (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many businesses in the Ross, Skye and Inverness West parliamentary constituency will benefit from the recently announced reduction in business rates.

Dave Thompson (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many businesses in the Caithness, Easter Ross and Sutherland parliamentary constituency will benefit from the recently announced reduction in business rates.

John Swinney: Information on small businesses in the form requested is not held centrally. However, information on the number and rateable value of non-domestic properties which may be eligible for relief under the Small Business Bonus scheme is available on the Scottish Assessors Portal ( www.saa.gov.uk ) for the local authority area in which the parliamentary constituency is situated. This information is shown as follows:

  Number of Properties by Local Authority Area

  

 
Rateable Value of Property


Up to £8,000
£8,001-£10,000
£10,001-£15,000
Total up to £15,000


The Highland Council
12,284
625
894
13,803



  Notes:

  (i) The rateable value ranges shown in the table correspond to those on page 12 of the Scottish Budget: Spending Review 2007.

  (ii) The table shows the number of non-domestic properties, except zero-rated properties, with rateable values of up to £15,000 in all of the Highland Council area.

  (iii) The number of eligible businesses will be lower than the number of non-domestic properties in each area, because some businesses have more than one property. This may affect eligibility for relief under the Small Business Bonus Scheme, which will depend on:

  - the combined rateable value of all properties in Scotland of which the business is in rateable occupation or (if vacant) which the business is entitled to occupy;

  - whether or not each property is eligible for one of the existing rates relief schemes, and

  - the level of other public sector assistance received by the business.

Non-Domestic Rates

Dave Thompson (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many businesses in the Moray parliamentary constituency will benefit from the recently announced reduction in business rates.

John Swinney: Information on small businesses in the form requested is not held centrally. However, information on the number and rateable value of non-domestic properties which may be eligible for relief under the Small Business Bonus scheme is available on the Scottish Assessors Portal ( www.saa.gov.uk ) for the local authority area in which the parliamentary constituency is situated. This information is shown as follows:

  Number of Properties by Local Authority Area

  

 
Rateable Value of Property


Up to £8,000
£8,001-£10,000
£10,001-£15,000
Total up to £15,000


The Moray Council
3,055
192
288
3,535



  Notes:

  (i) The rateable value ranges shown in the table correspond to those on page 12 of the Scottish Budget: Spending Review 2007.

  (ii) The table shows the number of non-domestic properties, except zero-rated properties, with rateable values of up to £15,000 in all of the Moray Council area.

  (iii) The number of eligible businesses will be lower than the number of non-domestic properties in each area, because some businesses have more than one property. This may affect eligibility for relief under the Small Business Bonus Scheme, which will depend on:

  - the combined rateable value of all properties in Scotland of which the business is in rateable occupation or (if vacant) which the business is entitled to occupy;

  - whether or not each property is eligible for one of the existing rates relief schemes, and

  - the level of other public sector assistance received by the business.

Parliamentary Questions

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many written parliamentary questions have been answered by each cabinet secretary and minister since May 2007.

Bruce Crawford: This information could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

  All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

Parliamentary Questions

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many oral parliamentary questions have been answered by each cabinet secretary and minister since May 2007.

Bruce Crawford: This information could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

  All answers to oral parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s Official Report website, the search facility for which can be found at

  http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/business/officialReports/index.htm.

People with Learning Disabilities

Karen Gillon (Clydesdale) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how it will increase the uptake of self-directed support for people with learning disabilities.

Shona Robison: The Scottish Government is fully committed to increasing the uptake of self-directed support for all those eligible for it, including people with learning disabilities, and is currently undertaking research to identify best practice for supporting local authorities to do so.

Planning

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Chief Planner involved himself or any of his staff in discussions on, or raised issues with any of the statutory agencies involved in, the planning application in Aviemore in which Mr Donald Macdonald had an interest, prior to the First Minister receiving any representations on the issues and, if so, on how many occasions.

Michael Russell: No.

Planning

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Chief Planner considered calling in the planning application in Aviemore in which Mr Donald Macdonald had an interest.

Michael Russell: The Chief Planner considered that a call in would not have been appropriate.

Planning

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the advice from the Scottish Environment Protection Agency to the Cairngorm National Park Authority changed shortly before the National Park Planning Committee was due to consider a planning application in Aviemore in which Mr Donald Macdonald had an interest and, if so, on what date the advice was changed and how close that date was to the date that the planning committee was due to meet.

Michael Russell: The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) withdrew its objection to the planning application for the development of the Horse Field site at Aviemore on 12 December 2007. SEPA was able to withdraw its objection after it had completed its review of the Flood Risk Assessment, received from the developer on 10 December, and satisfied itself about the potential impact of the development on adjacent properties. The National Park Planning Committee met on 14 December 2007.

Planning

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether any of the work of the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) relating to aspects of the planning application in Aviemore in which Mr Donald Macdonald had an interest could be said to have been completed more quickly than could normally be expected for similar tasks, following the receipt of information required by SEPA from the applicants and, if so, in respect of what issues.

Michael Russell: The Scottish Environment Protection Agency prioritises responses to planning consultations primarily according to environmental risk, but also takes into account sustainable development considerations. To meet planning authorities’ deadlines, SEPA will also deal with some consultations more rapidly than others.

  SEPA gives high-priority to flood risk assessments for developments of a scale and nature such as that proposed at Aviemore in an area already prone to flooding. In the case of the Aviemore planning applications, SEPA also took account of the Cairngorms National Park Authority’s deadlines and the need to provide for the sustainable development of the region, including the particular financial and employment imperatives involved, as part of SEPA’s overall consideration of the applications.

Planning

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether in discussing with the Chief Planner any issue relating to the planning application in Aviemore in which Mr Donald Macdonald had an interest, the First Minister made it clear in what capacity he was acting.

Michael Russell: In requesting information from the Chief Planner, the First Minister was acting in his ministerial capacity.

Planning

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the First Minister met any objectors to the planning application in Aviemore in which Mr Donald Macdonald had an interest and, if so, on what dates.

Michael Russell: No.

Planning

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive which (a) MSPs and (b) MPs made representations on the planning application in Aviemore in which Mr Donald Macdonald had an interest; in what form such representations were made; on what dates each written representation was made; on what dates and at what times they arrived in the First Minister’s Office, and when the contents of the representations were notified or given to ministers.

Michael Russell: Representations concerning the Aviemore planning applications were received in the First Minister’s Office from:

  - Mary Scanlon MSP in a letter dated 6 December 2007, delivered by hand and received electronically on 6 December, and notified to the First Minister immediately, and

  - Rhoda Grant MSP in a letter dated 6 December 2007, received electronically on 6 December, and notified to the First Minister immediately.

  The First Minister discussed these letters on 6 December with the constituency member, Fergus Ewing MSP, who also made representations.

  In addition Danny Alexander MP wrote to the First Minister in a letter dated 11 December, received by fax on 12 December, and notified to the First Minister on the same day.

  Each of the above also made representations direct to other ministers and to others.

  On 6 December 2007 Mary Scanlon MSP made written and verbal representations to the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and the Environment and to the Minister for Environment, as did Rhoda Grant MSP. On 6 December John Farquhar Munro MSP made verbal representations to these ministers.

  Mary Scanlon, Rhoda Grant and Danny Alexander wrote to other individuals and agencies including SEPA whose then chairman, Sir Ken Collins, was contacted by mail in letters dated 6 December 2007. Rhoda Grant drew attention in her letter to Sir Ken Collins to the fact that she had also written to the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and the Environment, and to the Chief Executive of SEPA, Campbell Gemmell.

  Mary Scanlon MSP and Danny Alexander MP were also in direct contact with Tom Inglis, SEPA’s Head of Environmental Protection and Improvement (North) concerning the Aviemore development and SEPA’s processing of the flood risk assessments.

  As the constituency MSP Fergus Ewing MSP wrote to Richard Lochhead, Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and the Environment on 29 November and 6 December and was in touch with the various agencies involved.

Planning

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive on what day and at approximately what time of day the First Minister spoke to the Minister for Environment regarding the planning application in Aviemore in which Mr Donald Macdonald had an interest; whether any others were present during that conversation and, if so, which individuals, and what the First Minister invited the minister to do as a result of the conversation.

Michael Russell: The First Minister discussed the Aviemore planning applications with me on 7 December 2007, at approximately 12.40 hours. The Principal Private Secretary to the First Minister was present during this conversation. The discussion centred on the representations submitted by cross-party Parliamentarians expressing concern over the Aviemore applications which suggested that Scottish Government agencies might be responsible for delaying matters. I told the First Minister that, as minister responsible for the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA), and in the light of representations made to me on the previous evening by Rhoda Grant MSP, Mary Scanlon MSP, John Farquhar Munro MSP and Fergus Ewing MSP, I had already checked with SEPA that morning in order to ascertain if there were any misunderstandings or matters of process that were unnecessarily holding up the Agency’s proper consideration of the applications and that I was awaiting an update on those issues from the Chief Executive of SEPA. When he provided that at approximately 13.30 that day I then spoke to the First Minister again to inform him of my conclusions.

Planning

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what matters were discussed by the Minister for Environment with the Scottish Environment Protection Agency regarding the planning application in Aviemore in which Mr Donald Macdonald had an interest and what action the minister requested.

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether any minister raised issues with the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) about the planning application in Aviemore in which Mr Donald Macdonald had an interest; if so, on what dates, whether any Scottish Government officials or special advisers were present at these discussions and what was said in the conversations.

Michael Russell: I contacted the Chief Executive of the Scottish Environment Protection Agency on 7 December 2007 to ascertain if there were any misunderstandings or matters of process within SEPA that were unnecessarily holding up proper consideration of the planning applications. No officials or special advisers were present during these discussions or during SEPA’s Chief Executive’s return phone call to me on the same day during which he updated me in the light of his own inquiries into the matter.

Planning

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive on what dates the First Minister has met or had conversations with Mr Donald Macdonald since becoming First Minister and what the location was of any such meetings.

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether any ministers have met or had conversations with Mr Donald Macdonald since May 2007 and on what dates and at what locations.

Michael Russell: The First Minister met Mr Donald Macdonald in Aviemore on 26 October 2007. Mr Macdonald welcomed Mr Salmond to the SNP Conference at the entrance to the conference. The meeting lasted a few seconds, was fully within public view and was filmed for television.

  The Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing met Mr Macdonald in St Andrew’s House in Edinburgh on 7 August 2007 to discuss Health Service related issues.

  The Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth had a brief informal conversation with Mr Macdonald during the SNP National Conference in Aviemore on 26 October 2007 during which Mr Macdonald mentioned that he had been involved in a meeting, earlier that day, with the local MSP and others in relation to the development proposals for the Aviemore resort.

  The Minister for Enterprise, Energy and Tourism met Mr Macdonald in Edinburgh on 30 August 2007 to discuss the Government’s economic strategy and the tourism goal for 2015, and along, with the constituency MSP, at the SNP National Conference in Aviemore on 26 October 2007 to get an update on the Aviemore development from Macdonald Hotels, the local Chamber of Commerce, Highlands and Islands Enterprise, Highland Council and the Cairngorms National Park Authority.

  The Minister for Europe, External Affairs and Culture met Mr Macdonald, in his capacity as Chair of the Scottish Chamber Orchestra, at Victoria Quay, Edinburgh on 26 July 2007; in central Edinburgh on 2 September 2007, and at the City Halls, Glasgow on 5 October 2007.

  The Minister for Community Safety, acting in his capacity as constituency MSP, met or had conversations with Mr Macdonald on a number of occasions since May 2007.

Planning

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether, during any discussions the First Minister has had with Mr Donald Macdonald, the issue of the planning application in Aviemore in which Mr Macdonald had an interest was ever raised and formed any part of such discussions.

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether, during any discussions the First Minister has had with Mr Donald Macdonald, Mr Macdonald raised any concerns about the Scottish Environment Protection Agency with regard to the planning application in Aviemore in which he had an interest.

Michael Russell: The First Minister has had no discussions with Mr Donald Macdonald about the Aviemore planning applications.

Planning

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether any special advisers have met or had any conversations with Mr Donald Macdonald or his representatives concerning, or during which reference was made to, a planning application in Aviemore in which Mr Macdonald had an interest.

Michael Russell: Special advisers contacted the communications officer for Mr Macdonald’s company on 27 January 2008 as a courtesy to make him aware of a statement made in response to newspaper articles.

Planning

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether any ministers have met representatives of Mr Donald Macdonald where reference has been made to the planning application in Aviemore in which Mr Macdonald had an interest.

Michael Russell: The Minister for Community Safety, acting in his capacity as constituency MSP, met with representatives of Mr Donald Macdonald on a number of occasions.

  Th Minister for Enterprise, Energy and Tourism met respresentatives of Mr Macdonald in Aviemore on 26 October 2007.

Planning

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions the First Minister has had with other ministers following and concerning any issues raised by Mr Donald Macdonald or his representatives or others on his behalf in respect of a planning application in Aviemore in which Mr Macdonald had an interest.

Michael Russell: On 6 December 2007, the First Minister discussed with the Minister for Community Safety the letters received from cross-party parliamentarians about the Aviemore planning applications and sought information on the background to the issue from Mr Ewing as constituency MSP.

  On 7 December 2007, the First Minister discussed with me the representations submitted by cross-party parliamentarians about the Aviemore applications which suggested that Scottish Government agencies might be responsible for delaying matters.

Planning

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the First Minister has had any discussions with special advisers following and concerning any issues raised by Mr Donald Macdonald or his representatives or others on his behalf; with which special advisers such discussions took place, and on what dates.

Michael Russell: The First Minister has had discussions on a number of occasions with special adviser Kevin Pringle on various dates since 25 January 2008 in relation to media enquiries concerning the Aviemore planning applications.

Planning

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether any minister raised issues with any public agency which had a locus in the planning application in Aviemore in which Mr Donald Macdonald had an interest, following representations received from Mr Macdonald, his representatives or others to the First Minister and, if so, which agencies these were.

Michael Russell: I met the Convenor and the Chief Executive of the Cairngorms National Park Authority on 5 December 2007 to discuss their plans for taking forward the business of the authority over the coming year. In the course of this meeting the convenor referred to the significant media and local interest, including local MSP interest, in the Aviemore planning applications and informed me how the matter was being handled by the authority.

  On 7 December I discussed with the Chief Executive of the Scottish Environment Protection Agency the process and timescales for SEPA’s work assessment with the Aviemore planning applications.

  The Minister for Community Safety, acting in his capacity as constituency MSP, has raised issues with different public agencies concerning the Aviemore planning applications on a number of occasions.

  The Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and the Environment raised issues with his officials in the light of correspondence from the constituency MSP on 29 November 2007. Officials were subsequently in touch with SEPA.

Planning

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the First Minister or any other minister raised issues with the Chief Planner or any other Scottish Government official in relation to the planning application in Aviemore in which Mr Donald Macdonald had an interest; if so, what issues were raised and when.

Michael Russell: Between 29 November and 14 December 2007, the First Minister, the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and I raised various issues with officials including the Chief Planner in the Scottish Government about the facts surrounding letters received from parliamentarians from four different parties concerning the Aviemore planning applications and the need to check with the Scottish Environment Protection Agency whether there were any misunderstandings or matters of process that were unnecessarily delaying proper consideration of these applications .

Planning

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Chief Planner or any other Scottish Government official had any contact with Mr Donald Macdonald or his representatives during which discussion took place on the planning application in Aviemore in which Mr Macdonald had an interest; if so, on what dates and what issues were discussed.

Michael Russell: Neither the Chief Planner nor any Scottish Government official has met Mr Donald Macdonald or his representatives to discuss the proposed development in Aviemore.

Planning

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Chief Planner had any contact with Cairngorm National Park Authority planning officials concerning the planning application in Aviemore in which Mr Donald Macdonald had an interest; if so, when such discussions took place and what issues were discussed.

Michael Russell: The Chief Planner was copied into, and acknowledged, an e-mail from the Head of Planning at Cairngorms National Park Authority to the Head of the Landscapes and Habitats Division (in his role as sponsor for the national park authority) on 7 December 2007. This e-mail re-iterated the verbal information provided to me by the convenor of the park authority on 5 December regarding the process which the park authority was following in handling the planning applications for the proposed development.

Planning

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Scottish Environment Protection Agency has specific statutory responsibilities that it carries out in relation to planning matters and, if so, what these responsibilities are.

Michael Russell: The Scottish Environment Protection Agency is a statutory consultee for developments identified under the Town and Country Planning (General Development Procedure) (Scotland) Order 1992, as amended, and for planning applications requiring environmental impact assessments under the Environmental Impact Assessment (Scotland) Regulations 1999. SEPA also provides advice to planning authorities on environmental aspects which are material planning considerations. In addition, SEPA has a statutory duty under the Environment Act 1995, if requested by a planning authority, to provide advice on the risk of flooding in any part of the authority’s area.

Planning

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive on how many occasions since May 2007 the Minister for Environment has raised with the Scottish Environment Protection Agency operational matters in relation to its independent statutory role in individual planning applications and in relation to which applications.

Michael Russell: I have never raised operational matters with the Scottish Environment Protection Agency in relation to SEPA’s statutory role and advice on individual planning applications. I have, on occasion, discussed matters of process, procedure and timescales with SEPA.

Planning

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether ministers have powers of direction over the Scottish Environment Protection Agency and, if so, whether these powers have ever been used and, in particular, in any planning matters.

Michael Russell: The Scottish ministers have powers under various pieces of legislation to issue directions to the Scottish Environment Protection Agency in relation to the exercise of its functions. These powers are used regularly and cover a range of matters falling within SEPA’s remit. No direction has been issued concerning the exercise of SEPA’s functions relating specifically to planning matters.

Planning

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what procedures ministers would normally be expected to follow before considering any direction to an independent non-departmental public body or other agency.

Michael Russell: The procedures to be followed prior to ministers issuing any direction to a non-departmental public body or other public agency, including any requirement to consult affected parties or publish the direction, are normally set out in the relevant legislation. Different procedures apply depending on the statutory powers under which the direction is being made.

Planning

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it would be appropriate or normal for a minister to seek to instruct an independent non-departmental public body or other agency on the basis of a telephone call where the minister had neither sought nor received formal advice prior to making that call.

Michael Russell: Within the scope of relevant legislation and in appropriate circumstances, Scottish ministers have the ability to require a body to take a particular action or pursue a particular area of work. This ability is part of the long established framework of governance and accountability to which non-departmental public bodies operate.

Planning

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether ministers considered using powers of direction over the Scottish Environment Protection Agency when considering the planning application in Aviemore in which Mr Donald Macdonald had an interest.

Michael Russell: Scottish ministers did not consider using powers of direction over the Scottish Environment Protection Agency in relation to SEPA’s role as statutory consultee for the planning applications submitted by Aviemore Highland Resort Ltd.

Planning

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the conversation between the Minister for Environment and the Scottish Environment Protection Agency in relation to the planning application in Aviemore in which Mr Donald Macdonald had an interest was minuted and, if so, whether it will release the minute.

Michael Russell: No minute was taken of my conversations with the Scottish Environment Protection Agency on 7 December 2007 in relation to the Aviemore planning applications.

Planning

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the conversation between the Minister for Environment and the Scottish Environment Protection Agency in relation to the planning application in Aviemore in which Mr Donald Macdonald had an interest was a formal conversation by the minister in the conduct of his duties and who was present at or listening to that conversation.

Michael Russell: My discussions with the Chief Executive of the Scottish Environment Protection Agency on 7 December 2007 in relation to the Aviemore planning applications were undertaken in the normal conduct of my duties. Nobody was present or listened in to these conversations.

Planning

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive why the Minister for Environment did not ask his private secretary or officials to have a conversation with the Scottish Environment Protection Agency with regard to the planning application in Aviemore in which Mr Donald Macdonald had an interest and which had been the subject of representations to ministers.

Michael Russell: I had obtained advice from officials on the general position in relation to the Scottish Environment Protection Agency’s responses to the Aviemore planning applications. However, having received urgent representations from parliamentarians from four different parties expressing concern over these applications, I decided to contact the Agency to check there were no misunderstandings or matters of process for SEPA that were unnecessarily holding up proper consideration of the applications. Such actions are wholly consistent with the desire of this administration to improve the process of government and to give a better service to the people of Scotland. I believe I would have been in dereliction of my duties as a minister had I not done so.

Planning

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the conversation between the Scottish Environment Protection Agency and the Minister for Environment regarding the planning application in Aviemore in which Mr Donald Macdonald had an interest was arranged by the minister’s private secretary.

Michael Russell: My initial discussions with the Chief Executive of the Scottish Environment Protection Agency concerning the Aviemore planning applications were arranged by my Private Secretary.

Planning

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Minister for Environment took any advice from officials in his department or the Office of the Permanent Secretary on the appropriateness and advisability of speaking to the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) about a then live planning application in Aviemore in which SEPA had statutory responsibilities and in which a donor to the minister’s political party had an interest.

Michael Russell: No. ministers are always aware of the need to conduct business in line with the ministerial code and to behave in an appropriate manner. In relation to the Aviemore planning applications, in the light of the representations received from parliamentarians from four different parties. I decided it was entirely appropriate, and indeed essential, to speak to the Chief Executive of the Scottish Environment Protection Agency to check there were no misunderstandings or matters of process for SEPA that were unnecessarily holding up proper consideration of the applications.

Planning

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive at what time and on what day the Minister for Environment spoke to the Scottish Environment Protection Agency regarding the planning application in Aviemore in which Mr Donald Macdonald had an interest.

Michael Russell: I first spoke to the Chief Executive of the Scottish Environment Protection Agency during the morning of Friday 7 December 2007. I spoke to the Agency again, in the person of its Chief Executive, some hours later when he updated me on the issues in questions.

Police

Murdo Fraser (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how much has been spent on policing in each of the last 10 years, broken down by (a) local authority and (b) police force area.

Kenny MacAskill: Information on expenditure by local authorities on the police is not held centrally.

  The Police Granted Aided Expenditure figures (£000) for the last 10 years are as follows:

  

 
1998-99
1999-2000
2000-01
2001-02
2002-03


Central
31,559
32,913
33,468
35,560
36,874


Dumfries and Galloway
19,353
20,812
21,318
22,650
23,194


Fife
37,631
38,958
41,652
44,010
44,370


Grampian
59,171
61,089
62,935
68,470
72,406


Lothian and Borders
124,833
129,483
133,752
140,893
149,136


Northern
36,465
37,190
39,014
42,550
43,518


Strathclyde
328,336
339,260
352,183
370,940
389,140


Tayside
53,652
55,015
57,598
61,450
63,484


Total
691,000
714,720
741,920
786,523
822,122



  

 
2003-04
2004-05
2005-06
2006-07
2007-08


Central
40,304
42,353
45,984
48,184
51,233


Dumfries and Galloway
24,664
26,195
27,965
29,129
29,968


Fife
49,471
52,936
58,203
59,734
64,828


Grampian
78,478
84,321
89,360
93,675
98,861


Lothian and Borders
159,810
168,784
178,833
185,396
191,075


Northern
46,671
48,942
50,392
53,568
56,317


Strathclyde
421,023
444,070
476,424
496,307
504,433


Tayside
68,333
71,353
76,393
79,211
81,187


Total
888,754
938,954
1,003,554
1,045,204
1,077,902



  Actual expenditure figures for each police force area are published in HM Chief Inspector of Constabulary for Scotland’s Annual Reports.

Police

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the cost to the public purse has been of the police investigation leading to charges of perjury against Tommy Sheridan, Rosemary Byrne and Graeme McIver.

Kenny MacAskill: This information is not held centrally and is a matter for Lothian and Borders Police.

  In any event, it would not be appropriate, for operational reasons, to disclose information about on-going police investigations.

Public Private Partnerships

Jamie Hepburn (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps are taken to ascertain the projections of costs of each PFI/PPP project entered into by (a) the Scottish Government, (b) local authorities and (c) NHS boards.

John Swinney: It is the responsibility of every public sector procuring body, when entering into a contract, to ensure all payments committed through that contract are affordable. This applies to all contracts and not just PPP contracts. In a PPP contract, the total costs, including the whole life costs, under the contract are agreed locally and parcelled up into manageable, affordable, annual payments all agreed in advance. This applies whether the procuring body is the Scottish Government, local authorities or NHS boards.

  The total costs in a PPP contract are usually modelled by financial advisers to the project in a financial model. This involves such calculations as sensitivity analyses on key variables within the model.

Public Transport

Alison McInnes (North East Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will reconsider the decision not to increase the Bus Service Operators Grant in line with the support given by the UK Government to bus operators in England and Wales.

Stewart Stevenson: The Scottish Government currently provides substantial funds to the bus industry of around £260 million a year. Each increase in fuel duty and its effect on the rate of Bus Service Operators Grant (BSOG) has to be looked at on an individual basis. Within the constraints of the current spending round the government has been able to increase BSOG beyond the plans proposed in the draft budget.

Public Transport

Alison McInnes (North East Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment it has made of the impact of current fuel prices on the competitive position of the bus industry.

Stewart Stevenson: The cost of fuel is one of a number of factors which affect the competitive position of the bus industry. Scottish Government’s support for bus services is considerable amounting to some £260 million per annum. This covers Bus Service Operators Grant (BSOG), concessionary fares, local authority supported services and Bus Route Development Grant.

Rail Services

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-5529 by Stewart Stevenson on 5 November 2007, whether the estimated cost of leasing the two additional trains required to provide a half-hourly rail service between Glasgow and Kilmarnock has changed since the original estimation.

Stewart Stevenson: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-9565 on 21 February 2008. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottishparliament.uk/webapp/wa.search .

  The difference between the estimate and the actual leasing cost was less than 1%.

Rural Development

David Stewart (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what future it envisages for key agri-environment schemes under the Scottish Rural Development Programme.

Richard Lochhead: Future support for environmentally-friendly farming will be delivered as part of the new Scotland Rural Development Programme (SRDP) through Land Managers Options (formerly the Land Management Contract Menu Scheme) and Rural Development Contracts Regional Priorities (formerly Tier III of Land Management Contracts).

  There is funding of £1.6 billion under the new SRDP which covers the period 2007-13. This includes around £400 million for agri-environment measures. Of this amount, around £170 million will cover the cost of fully funding all on-going agri-environment commitments. The balance of £230 million will be available to cover the cost of new commitments. This represents a substantial increase compared with the sum of £110 million which was allocated for new agri-environment commitments under the previous SRDP.

  The 2007-13 SRDP is based on delivering outcomes for rural Scotland and five key outcomes have been identified. These are to improve business viability, enhance biodiversity and landscape, improve water quality, tackle climate change and support thriving local communities.

  The options available under Rural Development Contracts were drawn up following an extensive public consultation and by working closely with Scottish Natural Heritage, Forestry Commission Scotland and a wide range of key stakeholders such as RSPB, NFUS and FWAG to ensure the options will deliver for the environment, for land managers and for the rural economy.

  The new SRDP has been designed to deliver outcomes that are tailored to the needs and aspirations of local communities and regional priorities will be set to ensure resources are directed to areas of greatest need. This approach is intended to recognise that support is carefully targeted to maximise its effectiveness.

Rural Development

David Stewart (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how much can be spent on agri-environment schemes and biodiversity projects under the Scottish Rural Development Programme.

Richard Lochhead: The Scotland Rural Development Programme includes around £400 million for agri-environment measures, including biodiversity. Actual expenditure will depend on submission by land managers of proposals which will deliver the Scottish Government’s priority outcomes. For agri-environment measures, the priority objectives are to enhance biodiversity and landscape, improve water quality and tackle climate change.

  In addition, it will also be open to local action groups to decide to fund biodiversity projects using LEADER funding.

Rural Development

David Stewart (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when the schemes in the Scottish Rural Development Programme will be implemented.

Richard Lochhead: The various elements of the new Scotland Rural Development Programme, including Rural Development Contracts – Rural Priorities, will be rolled out over the coming weeks.

  The precise timetable for implementation depends upon the receipt of formal, written approval of the Programme from the European Commission, which will enable us to lay the required secondary legislation before the Scottish Parliament.

  The implementation of the different aspects of the programme will follow, in a staged way, once the secondary legislation comes into force.

Schools

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when it will next meet Aberdeenshire Council to discuss its plans to renew its schools estate.

Maureen Watt: The Scottish Government has no immediate plans for a follow-up meeting to the one held six months ago.

Schools

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what meetings and correspondence it has had with Aberdeenshire Council to discuss its plans to renew its schools estate.

Maureen Watt: I discussed school estate issues when I met with Aberdeenshire Council on 17 August 2007. There have also been subsequent letters from Councillor Richard Stroud, Chair of the Council’s Education, Leisure and Learning Committee and from Councillors Jean Dick and Ian Gray.

Schools

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when it will decide whether Aberdeenshire Council’s plans to renew its schools estate will be appropriate for funding through the Scottish Futures Trust.

Maureen Watt: The government’s proposals for a Scottish Futures Trust are at the consultation stage. It is and will continue to be for Aberdeenshire Council to consider the appropriateness of all funding options for capital investment.

Scottish Environment Protection Agency

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what protects the Scottish Environment Protection Agency’s operational independence in the conduct of its statutory duties.

Michael Russell: The Environment Act 1995 and the Management Statement for the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) set out the relationship under which SEPA operates.

Scottish Environment Protection Agency

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Scottish Environment Protection Agency is intended to operate independently of ministers in its day-to-day operational role and in relation to individuals and casework, albeit within a framework of policies and priorities agreed by ministers.

Michael Russell: All non-departmental public bodies are required to work to, and be aware of, the Scottish Government’s strategic priorities and objectives. They operate with a degree of independence and flexibility in areas of work where direct hands on control would be inappropriate.

Scottish Environment Protection Agency

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Chief Executive of the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) is accountable on a day-to-day basis to the board of SEPA for the operational decisions taken by staff of SEPA, or to ministers.

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the accountability mechanisms are from the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) to ministers and what documents set out the relationship between ministers and SEPA.

Michael Russell: The Chief Executive of the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) is accountable to SEPA’s board. SEPA’s board, like other non-departmental public bodies’ boards, is appointed by ministers and accountable to Scottish ministers. The precise nature of the relationship is set out in the Environment Act 1995 and SEPA’s management statement.

Scottish Environment Protection Agency

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) or ministers that are responsible for advice to planning authorities on individual planning applications when SEPA is acting in its independent statutory role.

Michael Russell: As a statutory consultee in the planning process, the Scottish Environment Protection Agency has responsibility for providing advice directly to planning authorities.

Scottish Government Finance

Joe FitzPatrick (Dundee West) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive which projects could be at risk if (a) £15 million, (b) £20 million and (c) £25 million were cut from the Capital Works budget over the period of the spending review.

Stewart Stevenson: Any proposal to reduce expenditure on Capital Works would have adverse effects on delivery of a programme of new construction road schemes that have been designed for road safety reasons, or to reduce road congestion or improve access to strategic points such as ferry terminals and airports.

  Transport Scotland is responsible for overseeing the safe and efficient management and maintenance of Scotland’s trunk roads. S5(2) of the Roads (Scotland) Act 1984 places an obligation on Scottish ministers to keep under review the trunk road network and to trunk, de-trunk or construct new trunk roads as appropriate. Any proposal to reduce funding on capital works has significant adverse consequences for the delivery of a programme of new schemes previously approved by Parliament.

  In 2008-09, committed expenditure on capital works on schemes that are already under construction would not allow the transfer of the full £15 million.

Social Work

Helen Eadie (Dunfermline East) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has made an assessment of the impact on all NHS board budgets of local authority decisions to cap social work expenditure for care in the community packages.

Nicola Sturgeon: Practice on capping the cost of packages varies from area to area. This is an issue to be resolved at local level through partnership working. It is the responsibility of local authorities to allocate the total financial resources available to them on the basis of local needs and priorities. Authorities work closely with their partners, including NHS boards, in achieving key national and local outcomes.

Speech and Language Therapy

Patricia Ferguson (Glasgow Maryhill) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the average waiting times are for children to be assessed prior to receiving speech therapy.

Nicola Sturgeon: This information is not held centrally. The planning and provision of NHS speech and language therapy services is for NHS boards to determine based on local priorities.

Transport

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how much bus travel is worth to the economy of the north east.

Stewart Stevenson: Bus services provide the sustainable mass public transport necessary to support economic growth. Bus is an important enabler for Scotland’s economy by carrying people daily to and from their place of employment (currently 12% of the Scottish workforce use the bus to travel to work) and by providing access to retail, leisure and sports facilities.

  Information on the value of bus travel to the economy of the north east is not available. However, statistics on bus use in the north east are contained in Bus and Coach Statistics: 2005-2006. It is available on line at www.scotland.gov.uk/transtat/latest.

  These show that around 30% of adults in the north east use buses at least once per week.

Transport

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what its plans are for regenerating the rail network north of Aberdeen.

Stewart Stevenson: Our High Level Output Specification (HLOS), published in July 2007, sets out the improvements we expect to make to the rail network. Tier 3 of the HLOS includes improvements to the Highland Main Line to reduce journey times between Inverness and Edinburgh/Glasgow. It also highlights that we expect to move towards an hourly service between Aberdeen to Inverness. The longer term needs of the transport corridor between Aberdeen to Inverness are being considered through the Strategic Transport Projects Review.

Wind Farms

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects the local public inquiry into the proposed Kyle wind farm to report.

Jim Mather: The Kyle wind farm public inquiry report was received by Scottish ministers on 20 November 2007. The report is one of the material considerations that Scottish ministers will have regard to when determining the Kyle wind farm application. Ministers expect to make a determination on this project shortly, at which point the public inquiry report will be made available on the Scottish Government website.